Electromagnetic musical instrument.



G. BREE ELEGTROMAGNET MUSIG NSTRUMENT.

APPLIOATIO ED MAR. 30, 1912 1,1o0,1 17. Patented June 16,1914.

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ELECTROMAGNETIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

, APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1912. 1,100,1 1'7. Patented June 16, 1914.

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GEORGE BREED, OF PHILADELI HIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO LYRACHORD COMPANY, .OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

' ELECTROMAGNETIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 16, 1914.

Application filed March 30, 1912. Serial No. 687,543.

. electro-magnets, as set out in Reissue Letters tone.

Patent of the United States No. 13365, obtained by me January 23, 1912.

The primary object of my present invention is to provide improved means for effecting the pulsations of the currents in the desired phase relation to the vibrations of the musical strings, with resulting refinement in the action and improved quality of A further ob'ect is to provide a construction which is e cient, simple, compact, convenient, durable and advantageous in other respects which will appear from the following description.

In the preferred form of my invention, as embodied in a piano, circuits, containing current pulsatorsand electro-magnets having fields intersected by the strings of the instrument, are combined with phase mechanism comprising coiled springs which are connected with the pulsators and with the musical strings and which have means connected therewith for adjusting their positions, lengths and tensions, the pulsators having resilient conductors with coiled ends providing desired clamping, conducting and heat radiating means for their carbon contacts.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 1s a vertical sectional view of a piano having my improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the pulsator mechanism in combination with the phase mechanism for communicating forced vibrations thereto, Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view representing a modification of the construction shown in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the switch bar with a side view of a switch and 1 means for operating it.

The piano, as here illustrated, is provided with the usual strings 1 extending between nected therewith, a bus-bar 11 with which a the wire is connected, resilientconductors 12 extending from their connections with the bus-bar to the terminal. coils 12, the carbon contacts 13 having the threads 13 which are engaged by the coils 12, the resilient conductors 14 having the end coils 1 1, the carbon contacts ,15 having the threads 15 which are engaged by the coils 14, the fine wires 16 connecting the conductors 14 with the conducting springs 17 having the binding clips 17 thereon, the wires 18 connecting the clips 17 with the resilient switch blades 19 through the windings of the respective electro-magnets 7, the resilient switch blades 20 With which the contacts 19 are adapted to be engaged, and a wire 21 which connects the blades 20 with the battery.

The switches, comprising the insulated blades 19 and 20 mounted on the board 19, are operated by moving the blades 19 into engagement with the blades 20, which is effected by the elevation of the abstracts 5 having thereon brackets 5 carrying nonconducting buttons 5", the abstracts being lifted by the keys 6 to cause the buttons to close the switches. It will be understood that while in the form of the invention illustrated the abstracts are elevated by the keys to close the circuits, they may be oper ated otherwise.

The piano has fixed in the top thereof a frame comprising the longitudinal rails 22 and 22 with the angles 23 and 23 there- 100 on, and the transverse braces 24. and stirrups 25 fixed to the rails through the angles.

A plate 26, of insulating material, is supported by the stirrups and supports the bar 11 with the ends of theconductors 12 fixed thereto. An insulating plate 27 rests on the plate 28, which iscarried by the stir rups, and on the plate 29, which is supported by the felt strip 30 laid upon the parts 11 and 12. The plate 27 supports the bear-" ings 31, to which the conductors 14 are fixed, and the looped springs 17 which are connected with the conductors 14 by the conductors 16, the springs being adjustable by the screws 17 passing therethrough into the plate for the purpose of adjusting the tension of the wires 16 and regulating the pressure of the contacts upon the contacts 13.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, coiled springs 32 are connected at one end by wires or cords 33 with cotter pins or keys 34, adapted to be turned in their seats in the rail 22 to effect adjustment of the springs, and the other ends of the springs are connected by wires or cords 33 with the keys 34 adapted to be turned'in their seats in the rail 22 to efiect adjustment of the springs. The respective members 33 and 33 are, as here shown, drawn over bridges 35 and 35 (suitably of felt) which are fixed to the under portions of the rails 22 and 22 and the angles 23 and 23. The springs 32 are connected with the coils 12, suitably through the felt bearings 36, so that vibrations communicated to the springs will be communicated positively through the felt bearings and the coils to the contacts 13 fixed therein.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, coiled springs 32 are connected by the tension members 33 and 33 with the respective keys 34 and 34', these springs having straight sections 32" which act through the felt bearings 36 and the coils 12' upon the contacts 13 carried thereby. The springs 32 or 32 are connected with the respective musical strings 1 by the threads 37 through which the vibra tions of the strings are communicated to the springs and thence through the coils 12 to the contacts 13, whereby a certain relation is positively established between the vibrations of the musical strings and the pulsations of the exciting currents. By adjusting the keys 34: and varying the tension of the springs 32 or 32, as also by shifting such springs longitudinally so as to vary their points of engagement with the bearings 36, the phase relations between the vibrations of the musical strings and the pulsations of the exciting currents 'can be varied so that the desired musical tones can be produced.

In operation, when a blade 19 is elevated to engage a blade 20, current flows from the source of supply 9 through a closed circuit comprising the conductors 10, 11, 12, 12', 13, 15, 14', 14., 16, 17, 17', 1s, 7, 19, 20 and 21, the current being pulsated in the desired phase relation to the vibrations of the strings by the means described. As the con tacts 13 and 15 have their respective threads 13 and 15 screwed into the respe tiv Coils 12 and 14 they are adapted to be adjusted readily and are held firmly in the desired positions, while desired connections for electrical conduction and ample surfaces for heat radiation are provided.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In an electro-magnetic musical instrument, the combination of a sonorous member, a circuit containing an electro-magnet for actuating said member and means comprising a coiled spring for pulsating the current in said circuit in the desired phase relation to the vibrations of said member.

2. In an electro-magnetic musical instrument, the combination of a musical string, a circuit containing a current pulsator and an electro-magnet having a field intersected by the string, and mechanism whereby the pulsator is caused to pulsate current in said circuit in the desired phase relation to the vibrations of the string, said mechanism comprising an elastic member connected with said pulsator, means for adjusting the tension of said elastic member, and means whereby forced vibrations are transmitted from the string to the elastic member.

3. In an electromagnetic musical instru ment, the combination of a musical string,

a circuit containing current pulsating means and electro-magnetic means for actuating the string, a spring connected with said pulsating means, and means connecting said musical string with said spring, whereby forced vibrations are communicated to said pulsating means.

4. In an electro-magnetic musical instrument, the combination of a musical string, a circuit containing an electro-magnet for actuating said string and current pulsating means, a coiled spring connected with said pulsating means, means for adjusting said coiled spring and a thread connecting said spring and string.

5. In an electro-magnetic musical instrument, a musical string, a circuit containrrg: an electro-magnet for actuating said string and current pulsating means comprising a pair of contacts, in combination with a spring, means comprising a pliable bearing whereby said spring is connected with one of said contacts, means for varying the tension of said spring, and means for connecting said spring and string.

6. In an electro-Iragnetic musical instrument, a musical string, a circuit containing an electro-magnet for actuating said string and a current pulsator comprising a coil with a contact engaged therein.

7. In an electro-magnetic musical instrument, the combination with the musical string, of a circuit containing an electromagnet for actuating said string and 2. current pulsator comprising conducting coils and contacts fixed therein.

8. In an electro-magneticmusical instrument, the combination with the musical string, a circuit containing an electrmmagnet for actuating said string and a current piilsator comprising a resilient conductor having a coil connected therewith, a second resilient conductor having a coil connected therewith, and threaded carbon contacts engaged in said coils.

9. In an electro-magnetic musical instrument, a musical string, a circuit containing an electro-magnet for actuating said string and a current pulsator having a vibratory contact, a pair of rails, means connected with said rails for supporting said pulsator, a vibratory member drawn between said rails with which said contact is connected, and means whereby said string and vibratory member are connected together.

10. In an electro-magnetic musical instrument, a frame comprising a pair of rails, in combination with pulsating mechanism comprising engaging contacts, resilient conductors connected with said contacts, means for supporting the respective conductors, vibratory members drawn between said rails and connected with contacts aforesaid, and means for adjusting the tension of said vibratory members.

11. A piano having therein a frame comprising rails, mechanism connecting said rails, electrically separated bearings supported by said mechanism, resilient conductors supported by said bearings, contacts carried 12. A piano having therein a frame comprising a pair of rails and electrically separated bearings supported by said frame, a circuit containing a resilient conductor supported. by one of said bearings, a contact carried by said conductor, a resilient conductor carried by the other of said bearings, a contact carried by said second named conductor, a bent spring connected to said second bearing, a wire connecting said spring with said second conductor, means for adjusting said spring to regulate the tension of said wire, and an electro-magnt, in combination with a string adapted to be actuated by said electro-magnet, a coiled spring drawn between said rails and connected with said first named contact, and a thread connecting said spring and string.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my name this 28th day of March, 1912, inthe presence of the subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE BREED.

Witnesses:

CHARLES N. Bowman, Joe. G. DENNY, Jr. 

